Bright future beckons - no looking back

Young Far North Queenslanders are turning their back on crime and taking positive steps to improve their lives.

The innovative Youth Opportunity Program is reducing juvenile offending, keeping young people out of detention and strengthening families. It is run by non-government organisation ACT for Kids and funded by the Department of Communities.

ACT for Kids staff members have developed positive supports and influences with some 260 young people from Cairns and remote Indigenous communities as far away as Weipa over the past three years.

They link young people with positive peers to provide them with good role models, and  re-engage them with school, training and sport and recreation within their communities.

The coaches also assist young people to comply with bail conditions and work with families.

Karen Dini-Paul, ACT for Kids regional director Far North Queensland, says individual developmental interventions are the best way to achieve positive outcomes for young offenders.

“Our hope for the young people and their families is that they make real and ongoing improvements in their lives and have no further involvement with the youth justice system,” she says.

The ACT for Kids intervention is working. An evaluation of the program found that over 12 months, three-quarters of the young participants did not re-offend, compared with the general rate of almost half.

On top of that, those who did re-offend committed fewer offences compared with the general rate.

The 2011-12 State Budget includes another $3.2 million over two years to continue the program and help a further 160 young people and their families.

For more information, phone ACT for Kids on 4033 8500. To find out about other youth programs go to www.communityservices.qld.gov.au/youth